Context moderates students' self-reports about how they study

Models of self-regulated learning hypothesize that learners selectively mat ch study tactics to varying tasks and diverse goals. In this study, relativ e to each of 3 contexts-reading for learning, completing a brief essay, and studying for an exam-students rated the frequency with which they applied 26 study tactics, used 20 textbook features and other resources, and adopte d 30 goals for studying. Analyses revealed substantial context effects in t hese self-reports. Nine separate principal component analyses of ratings co rresponding to cells in a 3 x 3 matrix of (a) tactics, resources, and goals by (b) contexts, identified considerable discrepancies in items' assignmen t to components, and heterogeneous loadings across contexts. These findings bolster the premise that students' reports of self-regulating studying beh aviors are context specific. They also raise questions about using self-rep orts of self-regulated learning that do not reflect context effects.